Joe Pavelski to retire, stands out in elite 2003 NHL Draft class…
Joe Pavelski hasn’t officially retired yet, but his comments on the Dallas Stars’ breakup day suggest he might. After the Stars’ six-game loss to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final, Pavelski said, “This was it for me. It was known for a while, probably. The plan is not to play next year. I don’t want to say this is official, but the plan is not to be coming back.”
If Pavelski does retire, he will do so as the top scorer from the renowned 2003 NHL Draft, which is often regarded as one of the best in history. This draft produced six players with over 400 goals and eight with more than 300, as well as four players who surpassed 1,000 points.
Pavelski, picked 205th overall that year, outshines them all with 476 goals and 1,068 points in 1,332 NHL games, surpassing notable players like Eric Staal, Patrice Bergeron, Zach Parise, Jeff Carter, and Corey Perry.
Players selected 205th overall seldom make a significant impact in the League, but Pavelski has excelled with the San Jose Sharks and the Stars, though he never won the Stanley Cup.
He ranks 55th in goals and 71st in points in NHL history. Throughout his 18-year career, he consistently scored 25+ goals in 12 seasons and reached 70+ points five times.
Even at 37, age didn’t hinder Pavelski, as he recorded a career-high 81 points two years ago with the Stars. He also holds the record for the most postseason goals by a U.S.-born player (73) and participated in 201 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including 19 this season.
These achievements place him among the most valuable players of the 2003 draft class. However, how does he compare to the top players in that group?
Marc-Andre Fleury won the Stanley Cup three times, while Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter won it twice. Bergeron, Staal, Perry, and Ryan Getzlaf each won the Cup once. Perry is currently vying for another with the Edmonton Oilers, who are facing the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
Pavelski reached the Cup Final twice (once in 2016 with San Jose and again in the COVID-19 bubble with Dallas) but never won the trophy.
This must have been frustrating, considering his early years with the talented Sharks alongside Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton, where he earned the nickname “Little Joe” compared to Thornton’s “Jumbo Joe.” His final years with the Stars also saw multiple deep playoff runs without a championship.
While Pavelski finished in the top 10 for the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL twice, it pales in comparison to Bergeron’s six wins.
Pavelski never made the first All-Star team, unlike Perry, Brett Burns, and Shea Weber, who each made it twice from the 2003 class.
Does NHL great Joe Pavelski belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?
As Pavelski seemingly ends his career alongside fellow ’03 draftee Ryan Suter in Dallas, the debate on his Hall of Fame eligibility arises.
On one hand, leading his draft class in goals and points suggests he deserves a spot. However, his lack of championships and major awards might place him in the “Hall of Very Good” rather than the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Regardless, emerging as an elite forward from the depths of the 2003 NHL Draft and excelling for 18 seasons is a remarkable achievement.
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